Spring-hinge



(Model.)

B.- H. WILBS.

SPRING HINGE.

Patented Mar. 20, 18 813.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT H. VVILES, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS.

SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,161, dated March 20, 1883. Application filed March 10, 1882. (Modohl To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT H. WILES, of Freeport, Stephenson county, Illinois, a citizen ot' the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Hinges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of springhinges which, being attached to a door, tend to close it and hold it shut, except; when itis opened beyond a certain angle,when they tend to open it farther and hold it open, the angle to which the door must be opened before reaching the dead-point, or point at which the tendency to close ceases and the tendency to openbegins, being dependent upon the relation of the parts of the hinge. U

The construction of the hinge is clearly shownin the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the hinge as seen when closed. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the leaves of the hinge, the spring-frame with spring mounted thereon, and one of the pins for connecting the spring-frame with. the leaves of the hinge; and Fig. 3 is an end view of the hinge.

The same letters indicate the same parts throughout.

The hinge, as shown in the drawings, is a surfacehinge, consisting of two leaves, A A, adapted to be screwed on the face of a door and its casing, and provided with ears raised to any desired distance above the plane of the leaves. As shown, one of the ears of each leaf is provided with a central pintle, H

I H, formed integrally with it, while the other can is slotted from circumference to center, the bottom of the slot being cylindrical and of a size to receive the pintle of a similar leaf. Evidently, however, both ears of one leaf may be slotted and both ears of the other leaf provided with pintles. In either case, when the leaves are united in a hinge, the two pintles H H rest in the two slots K K, and. in open ing and closing the hinge the leaves rotate about these pintles as an axis. Each leaf is formed with clasps C G D D, adapted to retain a pin, E, headed at one end and pointed or coned at the other, the relativeproportions of said clasps and pin being such that it may be readily inserted in or withdrawn from them.

ing-pintle forming a hinge-joint at each end of the spring-frame. Each side bar is provided with two inwardly-open hooks, G G, adapted to clasp the pins E E. The spring Fis coiled about the pintle of the spring-frame as an axis, and has one of its ends fastened to each of the side bars, the whole being so constructed that the separation'ot' the hooks G G increases the tension of the spring. The form of the hooks G G is such that when the leaves are united in a-hinge with the pinsE E in place the clasping of the pins by the hooks G G slightly separates their points and brings the force of the spring upon the pins, and tends to bring the pins together. As shown, the relative proportions of the sprin'g fraine and leaves are such that when connected, as above set forth,

' the axis of the spring-frame is coincident with the axis of the hinge-pintles; but the legs of the spring-frame may be lengthened, so as to raise the axis of the spring-tranie above that of the hinge-pintles, provided, however, that both axes lie in a single plane at-right angles to the face ot'the casing. As before observed, the force of the spring is brought to bear upon the pins E E, and tends at all-tinies to bring them together. When the hingeis closed this force upon the pins tends to keep it closed, and it the leaf A be rotated about the leaf A upon the pintles H H as an axis the distance betweenthe pins E E increases, the springframe is opened, and the spring tendswith increasing t'orce to close the hinge until the pins E E and the axis of the hinge-pintles lie in the same plane, when the hinge is at its dead point, and if the leaf A be rotated still farther the pins E E approach each other, the springf rame begins to close, and the hinge is thrown open to its fullest extent. In other words, when the hinge is at its dead-point the pins E E are at their point of greatest separation ICO and the spring-frame is opened to its greatest extent; and it the hinge be either opened or closed from the dead-point the pins E E approach each other and the sprin g-frame closes.

In the end view shown in Fig. 3 the solid lines show the relative positions of the parts of the hinge when fully open, and the dotted lines show the positions of the leaf A when the hinge is closed, and when it is at the dead-point. H

The manner of connecting and disconnecting the parts of the hinge is evident. The two leaves beingjoiued by placing the pintles in their corresponding slots, the spring-frame is placed in position between the ears, and the pins E E, are pushed into position in the clasps O O D D, and within the hooks G G. The coned ends of the pins E E act as wedges and force the hooks slightly apart, bringing the strain upon the pins and completing the connection ot'the parts. If either pin'be withdrawn, the other pin secures the spring-frame to one leaf of the hinge, while theotherleaf may be readily detached by lifting the pintles out of the retaining-slots. I

'The form of the hinge shown herein may evidently be modified in many respects without changing the principle of its action. As shown, it is a two-leaf surface-hinge; but it may evidently be made with three leaves; or, if desirable, it may be of the form known as mortise, and having either two leaves or three leaves.

As shown in the drawings, the hinge is intended for use in places where it may be desirable to have it'readily separable; but where this is not necessary the ears may be united by riveted or other pintles of ordinary form, and the pins E E may be riveted in place or so formed as to be not readily detachable.

I am aware that springhinges and doorsprings which tend to close the door to which they are attached, except when it is opened beyond a deadpoint, but which tend to hold it open ifopened beyond such dead-point, are in common use, and I do not, therefore, claim that, broadly; but,

Having described myiuvention,whatl claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A spring-hinge consisting of two leaves of suitable form, a two-part spring-carryingleaves, and a spring coiled about the axis of the spring-frame and exerting a'closing force on the points of connection of said springframe and leaves.

2. In a spring-hinge,the combination oftwo leaves of suitable form, a two-part springframe constructed substantially as described, and pivotally connected with both of said leaves at points between the pintle line ofsaid leaves and the surface of the door and casing to which said hinge is attached, and a coiled spring mounted upon said spring-frame and tending to close the same,-thereby drawing together the points of connection of said spring-frame and leaves.

3. In a spring-hinge, the combination of two leaves of suitable form, a spring-frame whose axis is coincident with the axis of the pintles of the leaves, and a coiled spring mounted on said frame and tending to close the same, said spring-frame being connected with said leaves at points between the piutle-linethereof and the surface of the door and casing to which said hinge is attached by means of pins or rods which may be readily detached from said leaves to disconnect said spring-frame, the whole being adapted to operate substantially as described. I

4. In a spring-hinge, a spriug-frameand a coiled spring mounted thereon,in combination with two leaves provided with ears adapted to form a joint at each end of said hinge, one of the ears forming such joint being provided with a pintle and the other ear with a slot to receive the pintle, said spring-frame being connected with said leaves at points between the pintle-line of the leaves and the surface of the door and casing to which the hinge is attached by means of hooks on said spring-frame and detachable pins or rods attached to said leaves, substantially as described.

5. In a spring-hinge, the combination ofthe leavesA A, having ears provided with pintles H H, slots K K, and clasps O U D D, the spr ng-frame B, formed with hooks G G, the spring F. mounted on said spring-frame, and the pins E E, all constructed, combined, and operating substantially as described.

ROBERT ELVVILES.

Witnesses:

G. W. BALLOOH, GEo. S. BALLOOH. 

